Machine for rolling car-wheels.



F. D. WARD.

MACHINE FOR ROLLING CAR WHEELS.

APPLICATION man JUNE 22.1911.

Patented June 20, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES: l/VI/ENTOR rialz. W -flmJ com; a chat wee g a ATTORNEY THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., wAsm'NG'roN, D. c.

F. D. WARD.

MACHINE FOR ROLLING CAR WHEELS.

APPLICATION r1151) wuazz. 1911.

Patented June 20, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- wmvss 858 P lA/VE/V r011 FRANK n. WARD, or new YORK, n. Y.

MACHINE FOB. RQLLING CAR-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented June 2t), 1916.

Application filed June 22, 1911. Serial No. 63 L757.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK D. VVARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of. Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Rolling CarlVheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a machine for rolling the peripheries or treads of car wheels and similar circular articles of steel or other metal. I

The object of the invention is'to secure 1 the gradually increasing and uniform pressure on the tread of the wheel, compressing and compacting the metal at this point so as to produce a wheel the tread of which is extremely hard and dense, while the web and hub may be permitted to retain the natural condition of the metal.

The invention involves various other fea-- tures of importance, all of which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, which represent, as an example, the preferred manner of practising the invention.

In these drawings-Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical section; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the positions of the parts at the beginning of the r operation. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View showing the positions of the parts at the end of the operation. Fig. 5-is a plan view on an enlarged scale of another form of the gear for controlling the movement of the die rollers; Fig. 6 is a section thereof on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a de tailed view of one of the miter gears showing the clutch teeth thereof.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 indicates a base which is preferably provided with a passage 11, through which air may be exhausted during the cooling operation, which will hereinafter fully appear. On the base or foundation 10, a stand 12 is mounted by a vertically extending central stud 14. Around this stud is arranged to turn a hub 15, carrying a wheel 16 on the periphery of which is a gear 17. The stud 1a is crowned by a form 18, which is fast on the stud and fits the under surface of the car wheel a. Coacting with the bottom form 18 is the top form 19, which corresponds to the upper surface of the car wheel. The upper form is drawn down, forcing the wheel against the lower form by a rod 20, which passes through the forms and through the stud 14, and it is provided at its upper end with a cotter 21, which engages the top form. Below the stand 12 the rod 20 is connected with a lever 22, and this is actuated by a hydraulic jack or other suitable power generating device 23, to draw the rod downward. Said lever is provided with a counter balance 24, which releases the pressure on the forms when the action of the jack 23 is stopped.

The wheel 1.6 carries an upper annulus 25, which is fast with the wheel and provided on its periphery with a gear 26. In the annulus 25 of the wheel 16, a number of arbors 27 are arranged to rotate freely. These are preferably six in number, for a reason which will hereinafter appear. The arbors 27 project below the wheel 16, and their lower extremities are loosely carried in a skirt 28, which is arranged to turn with the wheel 16 and forms a seal in an annular water chamber 29 formed by suitable walls fastened on the stand 12. The walls forming the chamber 29 have an upward extension 80 annular in form and provided with an internal gear 31. This gear is meshed with pinions 32 keyed on the arbors 27, so that as the wheel 16 turns, moving the arbors bodily around the stud 14, the pinions 32 roll on the gear 31 and independently rotate the arbors.

33 indicates the prime mover shaft, which has a double pinion keyed thereto, said pinions respectively meshing with the gears 26 and 17, so that the elements 16 and 25 are rotated bodily. Between the elements 16 and 25, at the peripheries thereof, is loosely arranged a ring 86 on the periphery of which a spur gear 37 is formed,

slightly larger in diameter than the gears 17 and 26. This gear 37 is in mesh with a pinion 38 mounted loosely on a rotary shaft 39, carried vertically in a suitable stationary bearing 40. The gear 17 meshes with a pinion i-l keyed to the shaft 39. The pinion 38 has an internal clutch member 42 integral therewith, and with which a co-acting clutch member as engages. This clutch member 43 is arranged to slide on a square section of the shaft 39 at 39*, and is en- "diameters of the gears,there is a differential motion of the ring and wheel 16.

The arbors 27 carry backing rollers 45,

which furnish backing for the die-rollers 46. These die rollers are shaped to engage the tread of the wheel and give it proper form, said rollers 46 having flanges which overlap the tread of the wheel and extend into close proximity to the forms 18 and 19 n the manner shown in Fig. 2. Swlnging' on the arbors 27 above and below theback- 1 ing rollers are links 47, and inthese links the die rollers 46 are mounted 'to turn freely. Articulated to the free ends of the links 47 are links 48 (see Fig. 1), which are preferably furnished with turn buckles to adjust their lengths, and these links in turn are articulated to the ring 36, as shown in Fig. 1. The ring 36 has projections to which the links 48-areconnected and these projections' pass through openings 37 in the part 16.. It will, therefore, appear that thepurpose of moving the ring 37 relatively to the wheel 16 and its connections, is to bring about a toggle action between the links 47 and 48 and move the die rollers 16 toward or from the periphery of the wheel or wheel blank. In this manner they are gradually brought up automatically to the work, following thecompression of the blank.

The operation of the machine may be traced as follows: A wheel or blank taken hot from the soaking pit or other step in the process of its formation, is placedhetween the forms 18 and 19, 'and'the jack 23 operated to clamp the wheel firmly. F or the purpose of introducing the wheel, the die rollers are moved outward suflicient to clear the flange of the wheel, and when the wheel is in place, the die rollers are caused to move up into engagement with the wheel, this be ing brought about by manual movement of the ring 36 relatively to the wheel 16 and its connections as above explained. Pinion 38 is then locked-to shaft 39 by clutch members 42 and 43. This done the prime mover 1 33 is set to motion and the wheel 16 and its connections are thereby caused to spin 1 advanced toward the center of the wheel and around the stationary hub 14. By the dif ferential motion of the ring 36 and its connection through the links 48 with the links 47,, the links 47 are relatively moved. In this manner the die rollers as are gradually follow up the shrinkage thereof, due to cooling and to the compressive action of the die of the wheel.

downward to. the conduit 11, thus bringing rollers until the desired degree of rolling and compressing is effected. Great pressure is necessary for this purpose, and the machine is so designed and arranged that this pressure will be furnished readily and to any desired extent, for which purpose the die rollers are backed by the relatively massive backing rollers 45. During the operation the arbors 27 are given independent rotation by the gears 32 and 31, and they in 'turn impart a rotating motion to the dies 46, so that the tire or tread of the wheel is not only subjected to a continuous circumferential rolling action but also to a simul taneous, burnishing effect. It will be observed that I employ a large number of die rollers. As here shown, six are provided, all of which operate simultaneously. At the same time,the forms 18 and 19 retain the proper shape to the web and the inner rim In this manner a most effective rolling and compressing action is brought about, resulting in an absolutely true or perfect wheel which otherwise would not be attained. When the critical period for tempering or final cooling of the wheel arrives, a suitable spray of water is thrown upon the wheel and a draft of air is-drawn through openings 16 in the wheel 16 and about a rapid cooling action on the rim of the wheel. During this operation the wa ter seal prevents air passing into the base except through the openings 16 and simi' lar openings 16 formed in the base 12. The

rolling operation is timed to be completed at or before the critical period of cooling is reached and, therefore, after the cooling op- 1 eration, the wheel is finished and is withdrawn from the machine. by slacking up on the jack or ram 23, allowing the counterweight 24: to throw up the rod 20, so that upon the removal of the cotter 21, the form 19 and the wheel may be lifted from the machine. j

The form shown in Figs. 5 to 7 is preferred as the means for controlling the motion of the die rollers. In these views 16 17 25, 36, 26 39 and HP indicate parts corresponding to the parts 16, 17, 25, 36, 26, 39 and 40 in the previously described figures. Stillreferring to Figs. 5 to 7, 50' indicates a spur gear rotating freely on the shaft 39 and to which two frames 51 are firmly secured by bolts 52, the same being located above the gear as shown. On the gear 50 is loosely rested an internally and externally toothed ring 53 of thesame diameter as the gear 50 and having externally the same number of teeth. The gear 50 meshes with the teeth 1'7 and the external teeth of the ring 53 mesh with the teeth 37*.

The gear 50 and frames 51 carry loosely, arbors 54', on which are pinioned gears 55 and worm wheels 56, both rigidly fastened.

Pinions are meshed with the internal teeth on the ring 58 and the worm wheels are in mesh with worms 57 fastened to arbors 58, which rotate freely respectively in the frames 51. The arbors 58 also carry at their inner ends, miter gears 59, which are fastened to the arbors, and these gears mesh with two miter gears 60 loose on the shaft 39". The bottom gear 60 rests on a shoulder on a shaft 39 and the top gear 60 is held from moving up by the collar 61 fastened to the shaft 39 above the gear. The gears 60 have clutch teeth 62 on their inner or adjacent faces, which are adapted to be engaged by a clutch 63 arranged to slide on the shaft 39, but incapable of rotating thereon. When the clutch member is moved upward, the top gear 60 is made fast to the shaft 39, and when the clutch member is moved downward, the bottom gear is made fast and the top gear is released, and vice versa. The clutch member 63 is controlled by a rod or other connection (it, which moves in the shaft 39 and is articulated to a hand lever 65 or other means for controlling the rod. In the operation of this form of gearing, 16, being the driving part, the gear 50 turns on the shaft 39, carrying with it bodily the frames 51, arbors 5 and gears 55 and 56. If the clutch 63 is in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 6, the gears 60 spin idly and no independent rotation is imparted to the arbors 54. Therefore, the worms 57 lock the worm wheels 56 and there can be no independent rotation of the arbors 54:. From this it follows that the pinions 55 lock the ring 58 with the gear 50 and the ring 3'6 is therefore driven as a unit with the wheel 16.

If, however, the operatorthrows the lever 65 in one direction or the other to fasten one or the other of the gears 60 to the shaft 89, then the bodily swinging movement of the arbors 58 will cause the gear 60, which is thus made fast to the shaft 39, to impart an independent rotation to the arbors. The direction of this rotation depends upon which gear 60 is made fast to the shaft 39. This independent rotation drives the worm wheels 56 and imparts independent rotation to the arbors 54, and through the gears 55 to the ring 53, thus independently rotating the ring 36*, that is to say, rotating it relatively to the wheel 16 and in addition to the movement of the ring 36, due to the action of the part 50. In this manner the ring 36 is caused to throw the die rollers in or out according to the direction of rotation, the same being under the control of the operator by the lever 65. The operator, therefore, drawing the lever in one direction, moves the die rollers into action and, reversing the lever, moves them out. This not only allows absolute control of the action of the die rollers, but enables them to be moved gradually inward after the rolling operation and then, when this is completed, to be moved outward to allow releasing the wheel or blank from the machine.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for rolling car wheels, having means to back the wheel, a die roller to engage the rim thereof, a backing roller for the die roller and means for moving the die roller bodily toward and from the center of the wheel and around the center of the backing roller as an axis, whereby the die roller is backed in all positions of operation.

2. A machine for rolling car wheels, having means to back the wheel, a die roller to engage the tread thereof, a backing roller for the die roller and means for moving the die roller bodily toward and from the center of the wheel and around the center of the backing roller as an axis, whereby the die roller is backed in all positions of op eration, such means comprising a mounting for the die roller arranged to turn around the center of the backing roller.

3. A machine for rolling car wheels, having means to back the wheel, a die roller to engage the tread thereof, a backing roller for the die roller, and means for moving the die roller bodily toward and from the center of the wheel and around the center of the backing roller as an axis, whereby the die roller is backed in all positions of operation,

such means comprising a mounting for the die roller arranged to turn around the cen ter of the backing roller, a toggle link connected with said mounting, and means for swinging the toggle link.

f. A machine for rolling car wheels, comprising a stationary form to back the wheel, a member arranged to rotate around the wheel, a die roller and backing roller mounted in the member, a link swinging around the center of the backing roller and forming a mounting for the die roller, and means to swing said link to advance or retract the die roller, such means including a member moving with the member, and devices for controlling the degree of movement of the second named member.

5. In a machine for rolling car wheels, the combination of a stationary backing for the wheel, a member arranged to turn around the wheel, a backing roller mounted in the member, a die roller engaged by the backing roller, a link forming a mounting for the die roller to swing around the.

center of the backing roller, a ring relatively movable in the member, means connecting the ring with the link and means for controlling the relative movement of the said ring.

6. In a machine for rolling car wheels, the combination of a stationary backing for the wheel, a member arranged to turnaround the wheel, a'backing rollert mounted in the member, a die roller engaged by the backing roller, a link forming amounting for the die roller to'swing around the center of the backingroller, a ring relatively movable in the carrier member, means connectmg the ring with the link and means for controlling the relative movement of the said ring, such means comprising a gear driven in unison with the member and meshed with teeth on the ring, and a clutch device controlling the drive of said gear.

7. A machine for rolling car wheels and the like, comprising the combination with the rolling devices of gearing to throw the same in and out of action, a second gear meshed with an element of said gearing and controllable means for rotating the gear in either direction.

8. A'machine for rolling car wheels and the like, comprising the combination with the rolling devices of gearing to throw the same in and out of action, a gear meshed with an element of said gearing and controllable means for rotating the gear in either direction, such means comprising arbitrarily driven gears meshed with the gear, worm gearing connected with said arbitrarily driven gears and means for rotating-the worm gearing in either direction. 7

9. A machine for rolling car wheels and the like, comprising the combination with the rolling devices of gearing to throw the ing the worm gearing in either direction,

comprising beveled gears connected with the worms, normally idle beveled gears meshed with the first-named beveled gears and means for holding. stationaryone or. the

other of said normally idle beveled gears.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

V FRANK D. WARD.

i Witnesses: MARTIN BOURKE,

WORTHINGTON CAMPBELL,

copiel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0." V I r 

